Throughout the years there have been so many films focusing on hauntings and possessions. When it works you get the iconic films like The Exorcist and The Conjuring franchise, but sadly the genre is filled with those that miss the mark. The latest, The Ritual which is based on the true story of the exorcism of Emma Schmidt stars Dan Stevens, Al Pacino, Ashley Greene, Abigail Cowen, Patricia Heaton, and Patrick Fabian from director David Midel. Could this film bring that something dark to deliver a successful story or will it fail to possess the audience?

 

The Ritual follows two priests--one questioning his faith and one reckoning with a troubled past--must work together to perform a series of terrifying exorcisms to save the young woman's soul. The Ritual is based on the true story of Emma Schmidt's 1928 exorcism--one of the most terrifying in U.S. history. After years of disturbing behavior, she underwent a week-long ordeal in an Iowa convent led by Father Theophilus Riesinger. Witnesses reported levitation, unearthly voices, and supernatural strength. Sanctioned by the Church, her case inspired decades of horror--and now, The Ritual brings the original story to life.

 

I say this all the time, but I am not a big fan of haunting and possession films. Outside of the ones mentioned above and a few others they just never work for me. Knowing the subject matter this was based on and the cast involved I was hoping to find yet another great entry into this horror subgenre. Filled with some good performances and a story that should have knocked it out of the park, I sadly found it kind of dull.

 

The story is initially engaging as we are brought into the issues and characters at